Latin America Advisor 2022-10-19 – Inter-American Dialogue

LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

A daily publication Of the dialogue

October 19, 2022

Has Latin America Fallen Behind in Adopting Agtech?

China’s government has said it wants to expand cooperation with Latin American countries on technology, including in agriculture. A device to repel birds in grape vines is pictured. // File Photo: PillePalle 87 via Creative Commons.

Q

China wants to expand cooperation with Latin American countries in technology—including agricultural technology—a spokeswoman for China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Sept. 8. Latin America is one of the few places in the world where significant portions of farmland remain untapped, according to a recent report from JP Morgan. How advanced is the use of agricultural technology, or agtech, in Latin America and the Caribbean as compared to other regions of the world? What has held back the development of agtech in Latin America, and what kind of assistance does the region need from China or other international actors to develop it? What would greater use of agricultural technology mean for the economic development of Latin American countries, such as in Colombia, where President Gustavo Petro has made rural development a main part of his agenda?

A

Devry Boughner Vorwerk, member of the Advisor board and CEO of DevryBV Sustainable Strategies: “The comments of China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs are timed quite favorably for China’s approach to food security. As China has maintained an alliance with Russia, it seems that Chinese-owned agtech companies stand to benefit significantly inside Russia, while now extending its technology deployment to other regions. It’s difficult to understand China’s agtech diplomacy agenda when it has been quite challenging over the past several years to even gain approval for foreign biotech products imported into China, for example. Latin America does not have a singular approach to agriculture technology, but, broadly, tech innovation and tech transfer in the food and agriculture space could bolster ag production in many economies such as Colombia that have yet to…”

Top News

Argentina Releases Five Detained Crew Members of Grounded Plane

Argentine authorities released five crew members of a jet that was grounded in June amid an investigation into possible ties to terrorism.

U.S. Providing Cuba With $2 Mn in Aid Following Hurricane Ian

The United States will provide Cuba with $2 million in aid after Hurricane Ian struck the island.

Mexico’s América Móvil Reports 13.7% Rise in Profit for Third Quarter

Mexico’s América Móvil, controlled by the family of billionaire Carlos Slim, on Tuesday reported a 13.7 percent rise in net profit, to nearly $893 million, for the third quarter.

Complete editions of the Latin America Advisor are delivered on a biweekly basis to members of the Dialogue’s Corporate Program and other subscribers. Sign up below for a free complimentary preview subscription.

ABOUT THE LATIN AMERICA ADVISOR

The Inter-American Dialogue publishes the Latin America Advisor every business day for a distinguished membership of informed corporate leaders, scholars, and government officials invested in Latin America’s development and future. The Advisor‘s highly regarded Q&A section covers questions submitted by subscribers themselves. Commentators regularly include heads of state, business leaders, diplomats, economists, analysts, and thought leaders from around the world. Many of the world’s largest and fastest-growing companies subscribe to the Advisor. To subscribe, click here. For terms and conditions, click here. For more information, contact Gene Kuleta, editor of the Advisor, at gkuleta@thedialogue.org.

Subscribers

Staff

Gene Kuleta
Editor
P. 202.463.2920
E. gkuleta@thedialogue.org

Carl David
Goette-Luciak
Reporter

Nili Blanck
Reporter

board of advisors

Diego Arria
Director,
Columbus Group

Merike Blofield
Professor of Political Science,
University of Hamburg

Devry Boughner Vorwerk
CEO,
DevryBV Sustainable Strategies

Joyce Chang
Global Head of Research,
J.P. Morgan

Marlene Fernández
Corporate Vice President for Gov’t Relations,
Arcos Dorados (McDonald’s)

Peter Hakim
President Emeritus,
Inter-American Dialogue

Donna Hrinak
Director,
Adtalem Global Education

Jon E. Huenemann
Council Member,
GLG Inc.

James R. Jones
Chairman,
Monarch Global Strategies

Craig Kelly
Senior Director,
Int’l Gov’t Relations,
Exxon Mobil

Barbara Kotschwar
Professor of Political Economy,
Georgetown University

John Maisto
Director,
US Education Finance Group

Nicolas Mariscal
Chairman,
Grupo Marhnos

Thomas F. McLarty III
Chairman,
McLarty Associates

Beatrice Rangel
Director,
AMLA Consulting

Ernesto Revilla
Head of Latin American Economics, Citi

Gustavo Roosen
President,
IESA

Andrés Rozental
President, Rozental &
Asociados

Shelly Shetty
Managing Director,
Sovereigns, Fitch

Launch of the Regional Repository of Chinese Investments in Latin America

asia & Latin America

education

energy transition & Climate

Migration, Remittances & Development

peter d. bell rule of law

cities

Women & Girls